


The Ballad of Solona Amell

by BelleWrites (sunleyemrys)



Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-19
Updated: 2018-11-19
Packaged: 2019-08-25 17:21:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16664995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunleyemrys/pseuds/BelleWrites
Summary: The entire story of the Dragon Age Origins from the POV of Solona Amell. A few story points have been changed, like the inclusion of Anders in the introduction.





	The Ballad of Solona Amell

Solona walked up the steps to the Harrowing chamber, barely listening to Greigor give his lecture. Gift, curse, she had heard it all before. A test, in the Fade, against a demon, Irving sounds hopeful, but its words he’s said to many others.

And there is the threat. She thought, as she is told she would be killed if she failed.

“Guess I shouldn’t mess with up then.” She quipped, earning a sigh from Irving.

Solona approached the altar, the cool, clean smell of lyrium in the air, “So I just, what? Stare at it until I fall asleep?”

“No child. Drink the potion.” Irving said calmly while Greigor stomps around behind him.

She stares at it, feeling a weight in her stomach, “What a way to spend a birthday.” She drinks the brew, feeling cold spread through her body.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

Suddenly Solona is in the Fade, “Well what do you know.” She said to the empty air, feeling the coiling energy of the Fade around her. “This sure isn’t like any dream I’ve ever had.”

She begins exploring, a broken vase next to a statue holding a glowing orb, “Huh.” She sticks it in her pocket and walks down the hill, stopping when she sees a wisp floating up to her.

“Hello there.” Solona greets it before getting zapped in the arm by lighting. “Not so friendly then.” She mutters, calling on her magic to blast it with arcane energy, feeling saddened that all it wanted to do was attack her.

The pattern repeats for the next two wisps she finds until a voice from below, a mouse complaining about the treatment of mages. “Eh, I kind of expected worse honestly.”

“What is worse than being thrown to the wolves?” The talking mouse asks.

Solona tilts her head, thinking, “Being cut with a thousand very small, very shallow pieces of paper.”

“That… I suppose. Either way, allow me to introduce myself.” The mouse shifted into a human man wearing mage robes. “You may call me Mouse.”

“Well that’s a handy trick. Been hiding this whole time?” She crossed her arms, not trusting the apparition in the slightest.

“I use to be like you once, sent to my Harrowing, but I took too long and the Templars killed my body, abandoning me here. That’s what they do, behead you if you take a long time, cant risk you getting possessed.” He wrung his hands, looking around nervously.

No shit, she thought. “And how long have you been trapped here?” She asked, trying to gauge just how real this Mouse was.

“Not very long. They aren’t patient, the Templars.” If a spirit could sweat in the Fade, Mouse was sweating. “The test appears easy enough, face a demon, resist it and that’s it. A test for you, a tease for the creatures here.”

“Creatures like you?” Something about him was making the back of her neck tingle.

Mouse at least tried to act surprised, “I am not a creature of the Fade! I am trapped here, like you will be.”

“Uh huh, and how have you survived this long?” She wasn’t sure she could punch a spirit, but Solona was sorely tempted to try.

“I became small, hid from the big things, learned from the small things. There isn’t much left for me beyond that.” He shrugged. “I’m not sure how long I’ve been here, maybe forever.”

And that makes you a spirit you cabbagehead, Solona sighed, “But why would they just kill you? That doesn’t make a lot of sense.”

“They would kill all mages if they could. The Harrowing is just one way of keeping great mages like you in line. Learn a little too much, and you are accused of blood magic. They fear our power, its something they can never touch.” His face pinched with anger as his hands balled into fists.

Solona rolled her eyes, she had heard mages talk like this in the past and it never ended well. “You haven’t seen me do magic, how do you know I am a great mage?”

“I, uh.” He cast his gaze away. “Sensed you when you first arrived. So much mana, waiting to be released.”

Ew.

“And if you sensed me, surely others did as well, right? And yet, you are the only being aside from a few wisps I have seen. No, you aren’t telling me everything Mouse.” She waited, ready to defend herself.

He shook his head, “Its more like recognizing like. I was once like you.” No you weren’t, she thought, scowling at him. “But if only we were free. Free of the Templars, free of the Circle, free to learn what we wished.”

“And now you sound a bit mad, and dangerous.” She interrupted. “I have no love for the Templars, but mages without proper guidance are dangerous.”

“I am not mad! But I have been here a long time, I know what is here and you don’t.” He raised his voice, taking a step towards Solona.

Her Barrier flared to life, pushing him back. “I know more than you think. Do not come any closer.”

Mouse coward away from her, sulking. “You aren’t like the others. Can I come with you?”

“Ugh, I guess so. Just don’t slow me down.” She walked away, not waiting for him to keep up, following the path towards a glowing spirit standing before rows and rows of weapons.

“Another mortal thrown into the flames and left to burn, I see.” The spirit spoke. “The mages have devised a cowardly test. Better you were pitted against each other to prove your mettle with skill, than to be sent unarmed against a demon.”

Solona shrugged, “Probably, but I really wasn’t given a choice.”

“Indeed.” The spirit said, “The choice and the fault, lies with the mages who sent you here. That you remain means you have not yet defeated your hunter. I wish you a glorious battle to come.”

“Thank you, I think.” She cocked her head to the side, “You are a spirit of Valor, right? Did you create all these weapons?”

The spirit seemed impressed. “You are correct, young one. I hone my weapons in search of the perfect expression of combat. I brought them into being by my will, a skill I believe in your world only mages can accomplish.”

“True, would one of your fine weapons affect the demon I am meant to face?”

“Certainly. Everything that exists here is the expression of a thought. Do you think these blades be steel? The staves wood? A weapon is a single need for battle, and my will makes that need reality. Do you desire one of my weapons? I would give you one, if you agree to duel me. Will against will?” It seemed to yearn for battle.

Solona rose an eyebrow at the spirit. “A duel? My will against yours? Surely you see the unevenness of such a challenge. You are but a spirit, bound to a single desire, a simple purpose. Where as I have spent my short life matching my will against spirits and demons on a nightly basis. My will already surpasses yours by the simple fact that I cannot be enticed by trinkets and empty promises. My mind is my own, and it will always be that.”

“Clever child. Very well, I see a battle of wills would not be a challenge. You may choose one of my weapons to take with you.” Valor waved a hand at the stacks. “I am most interested to see how you out think the demon ahead.

Her fingers brushed the staves, letting her magic find the one best suited for her. A blackened staff seemed to ripple with heat as she touched it, copper coiled around the dark wood. “This one.” She wrapped her fingers around it, pulling the staff from the rack.

“The Drake staff, an interesting choice.” Valor admitted.

She slung the blade onto her back and held out a hand, “Many thanks kind spirit, I shall remember this.”

“You are welcome young one.” The spirit embraced her wrist. “There are dark times ahead, be cautious.”

Solona nodded, “I will.” She walked away, following the path further, looking off the distance seeing the shadow of the Black City looming as ever.

“Be careful, there is another spirit here, not the one hunting your, but still.” Mouse warned from beside her.

I wonder how you know that, she thought, glaring down at him. But they continued on until she saw it. It was a bereskarn, or a spirit holding that form. She approached it carefully, magic at the ready.

“So this is the mortal being hunted? And the small one, hiding in your spirits, is he to be a snack for me?” It spoke slowly, barely moving from its position.

Mouse stayed behind her, “I don’t like this. He is not going to help us. We need to go.”

Coward.

“No matter,” it sniffed. “The demon will get you eventually, and perhaps there will even be scraps left.”

Solona’s temper flared, “Why wait for scraps? Come and get some now?”

“You’ll just run away.” It yawned slowly, “I’ll not waste time with a chase, not even for a meal. So begone! Surely you have better things to do than bother Sloth. I tire of you already.”

She rolled her eyes, “Wow, you are a shitty demon. How do people ever fall to Sloth of all things?”

“He looks powerful,” Mouse offered, voice shaking. “It might be possible that he could, teach you to be like him?”

Hmm, shapeshifting. Solona pondered, a whispered about branch of magic she had always been interested in.

The demon scoffed, “Like me? You mean teach the mortal to take this form? Why? Most mortals are too attached to their forms to learn the change.”

Asshole, going to learn it out of spite and become something better. Solona glared at Sloth, fists clenched tight.

“You, on the other hand, little one, might be a better student. You let go of the human form years ago.”

Solona felt something pop in her jaw and she stared at the ground, refusing to look at either of them. Crappy failed mage learning from a shitty, lazy demon!

Mouse recoiled, “I don’t think I would make a very good bear.” You wouldn’t be a bear you moron. “How would I hide?”

“Hiding doesn’t solve anything. We need to face our fears.” She said through gritted teeth.

“We? I have faced more in this place than you can imagine. Fear is, just one more thing. But,” he sighed. “You are right. Hiding doesn’t help. I’m sorry, it’s the Fade. It changes you.”

Pretty sure you were a coward before all this nonsense. She scowled at Mouse.

Sloth sighed, “You assume I would teach you, but teaching is exhausting. Away with you now.”

“No, you cant just suggest something and then change your mind! That’s bullshit.” The air around Solona increased in temperature as she became more enraged.

“I cant? You have so much to learn about the Fade, little mortal.”

She took a deep breath in, trying to calm herself. “He wants to learn. Teach him.”

“Oh very well, but first you must answer my riddles. Fail, and I will devour you both.” Sloth fixed her with a look and something in her snapped.

“No. Teach him, or I burn you to ash.” She held a fire spell in her hand, ready to react.

Sloth stood slowly, towering over her. “Foolish mortal! Do you really wish to anger me? I may be slothful, but I can be roused. Away with you, or suffer the consequences.”

“No.” She said flatly, flinging the fire at the demon. She fed her anger, her rage, everything she kept contained into the fire, making it grow and burn hotter and brighter.

Sloth roared in pain, “Enough! Stop this! I will teach him.”

Solona pulled the flames back, dousing them with her magic. “Glad to know you can see reason. Mouse?”

She watched Sloth slowly instruct Mouse, memorizing the threads of magic, wrapping the knowledge in her mind for the future.

“Are we done here?” She asked impatiently once Mouse was able to hold the shape of a bear.

“I suppose.” Sloth murmured. “Close enough. Go and defeat your demon, or whatever it is you desire.”

Solona spun on her heel and marched away, the plodding footsteps of Mouse a steady sound behind her.

“And so it comes to me at last.” The rage demon stood in the clearing, wreathed in flames. “Soon I shall see the land of the living with your eyes. You shall be mine, body and soul.”

“Not bloody likely.” Solona drew her staff. “You are welcome to try though.”

It laughed, “Oh I shall. So this is the mage you bring me, Mouse? Another plaything as payment?”

“I’m not offering your anything! I don’t have to help you!” Mouse shouted.

It moved toward him, nearly purring in delight, “Aww, and after all those wonderful meals we have shared? Now you wish to change the rules?”

“I’m not a mouse anymore! And soon I wont have to hide! I don’t need your protection!” He fled to stand beside Solona.

Damnit.

“We shall see.” The demon said as it attacked.

Wisps appeared as Solona rained fire down, feeling like the entire thing was a set up and not sure why.

Rage was defeated, almost too easily.

“You did it! You actually did it!” Mouse bounced, holding her shoulders. “When you came, I hoped that maybe you might be able to, but I never really thought any of you were worthy.”

Shit, I knew it. I fucking knew it, she thought. “That was way too easy.”

He scoffed, “That is because you are a true mage, one of the few. The others, they never had a chance. The Templars set them up to fail, like they tried with you.”

“I regret my part in it, but you have shown me that there is hope. You can be so much more than you know.”

She felt the tingle in the back of her mind, that warning. “Uh huh. Anything to survive, sell your soul to live and all that, right?”

“I am what the Fade has made me. Am I to blame for that? Deciding to exist or not exist is not a fair choice.” He whined. “I had no hope. You have shown me other possibilities. If you want to help.”

Nope, don’t want to, not going to. She fought to not shake her head.

“There may be a way for me to leave here, to get a foothold outside. You just need to want to let me in.”

She backed away, “Not my problem, Mouse. Not even remotely.”

“No, no, no!” He grabbed her shoulders roughly. “It must be your choice. Quickly now, the Templars are going to kill you! Can’t you feel the blade at your neck? They believe you evil, fallen into darkness. Once you come here, you are lost.”

Solona Fade Stepped out of Mouse’s grip. “Like you? Were you ever really an apprentice? Or are you just a demon like the others?” 

He sighed and changed form, towering over her. “Maybe they are right about you. Simple killing is a warrior’s job. The real dangers of the Fade are preconceptions, desires, careless trust and pride.”

Her world went black.


End file.
